Transmission "clunk" and IMA disengage

I have a 2006 HAH with an odd problem. I was able to duplicate it with the dealer, but in our one-horse town, they are not the sharpest tools in the shed (I had to tell the service manager what "eco" stood for). All that to say, they don't see Hybrids a whole lot.

The problem revolves around the transmission and it's shifting characteristics. Sometimes it shifts totally fine, but other times it will be in IMA under light acceleration and I will hear a soft to moderate low pitch "clunk" from under the car and IMA will immediately disengage. It will typically occur in the lower speeds (20 - 55 miles per hour) and usually occurs only under light IMA acceleration.

I have owned it for about 3,500 miles (it has 21,600 miles right now) The dealer really wants to try to help, but all they can do is look at TSBs and fix those (which hasn't helped so far) Any ideas or further diagnostic questions?? I appreciate your time!

I have a 2005 HAH with an odd problem. I was able to duplicate it with the dealer, but in our one-horse town, they are not the sharpest tools in the shed (I had to tell the service manager what "eco" stood for). All that to say, they don't see Hybrids a whole lot.

The problem revolves around the transmission and it's shifting characteristics. Sometimes it shifts totally fine, but other times it will be in IMA under light acceleration and I will hear a soft to moderate low pitch "clunk" from under the car and IMA will immediately disengage. It will typically occur in the lower speeds (20 - 55 MPH) and usually occurs only under light IMA acceleration.

I have owned it for about 3,500 miles (it has 21,600 miles right now) The dealer really wants to try to help, but all they can do is look at TSBs and fix those (which hasn't helped so far) Any ideas or further diagnostic questions?? I appreciate your time!

Yes I can give you a suggestion.

You have to I think live near some very large City, Right ????

Take it to the Largest Honda Dealer there and tell them as well as doing this;

Get the Parts & Service Director to (Ride-with-YOU). If you do-not do this the way I am telling you, The Odds of you getting this Corrected are "SLIM-to-NONE ".

Small Honda Dealers are not going to be able to fix/repair something like you are describing. It will have to go to a larger Honda Dealer with Master Techs. that have a lot more experience with Hybrids.

I have now been working for car dealerships for the past 12-yrs. so I know what I am talking about. This is not my opinion it is (FACT).

Be prepared to RENT another car once you have shown the Service Manager thru the drive with you what is "Wrong" with your HAH. they may need it for a number of days to order parts and retest drive it to confirm it is repaired and performing correctly.

If you do as I have layed out here for you I think things will go well for you.

Hey tigerhonaker, congrats first on your HAH! That car is going to be great 4u.

The closest big city is Phoenix (about 220 miles round trip) and I think that what you say might be the best way to fix the problem. I just hope that it doesn't end up being 4-5 trips back and forth to Phoenix with the "OK, it's fixed." and it isn't. The car is worth it in all other aspects.

I had read the post that you supplied a couple of days ago. My IMA disengage with a soft *CLUNK* usually happens at a lower speed than the 40-44 mph...it CAN be that fast, but happens in anything from 15-60 mph (usually below 35 mph)

Hey tigerhonaker, congrats first on your HAH! That car is going to be great 4u.

The closest big city is Phoenix (about 220 miles round trip) and I think that what you say might be the best way to fix the problem. I just hope that it doesn't end up being 4-5 trips back and forth to Phoenix with the "OK, it's fixed." and it isn't. The car is worth it in all other aspects.

I had read the post that you supplied a couple of days ago. My IMA disengage with a soft *CLUNK* usually happens at a lower speed than the 40-44 mph...it CAN be that fast, but happens in anything from 15-60 mph (usually below 35 mph)

I don't, however, think that it is in the engine, it sounds more transmission to me. The IMA also disengages immediately when the *CLUNK* happens.

It is going to be about 3 weeks before I can go down to Phoenix (I am going backpacking in the Sierra Nevada mountains...the part of Yosemite that doesn't have the people swarming )

Do you, or anyone else, have any ideas of what it might be?? Is it normal?? I doubt it, but I am open to anything.

Nope, that was my best shot to help you.

Seriously, I was given you the steps to go by when you go to the dealer. If they (Service-Mgr) does not go with you and especially if you cannot demonstrate the "FAILURE/CONCERN" you more than likely will not get this resolved.

Techs work by the clock and what you are going to be doing is paying the dealerships hourly labor rate to get your HAH checked out. So if the tech feels nothing, you will be doing exactly what you just said in your post driving back and forth numerous times and maybe for nothing.

Remember this, if it does nothing wrong with the tech driving it, there is nothing for them to repair in their mind.

So as I have said more than once here and I cannot stress this strong enough, get the service mgr to ride with you and he will determine at that point if there is actually something wrong with the operation of the vehicle. If he says he does not in his opinion think anything is wrong and he is the techs mgr do you really think it is going to be to your advantage to leave the car to have a tech look at it? NO !!!! They are going to 1st ask him what he thinks they need to be looking for and at. If he says he does not think anything is really wrong but you insist on leaving the car anyway, they are going to go through the motions and you will see on your (customer invoice) this: Operating to specs-NTF (no-trouble-found).

Do as I suggest and see what the service mgr has to say. He may get one of his Master Techs to ride with you all.

Come on down here and take your car to Arrowhead Honda on Bell just West of the 101. Take the back way down from Prescott, down to US-60. Take a left on Bell Rd. Right before you hit the 101, you'll see Arrowhead Honda on the left. One of the techs there is my perferred go-to guy. I just can't remember his name right now. However, anyone of their techs (of a higher skill level, Terry knows what I'm talking about) will do you right.

Come on down here and take your car to Arrowhead Honda on Bell just West of the 101. Take the back way down from Prescott, down to US-60. Take a left on Bell Rd. Right before you hit the 101, you'll see Arrowhead Honda on the left. One of the techs there is my perferred go-to guy. I just can't remember his name right now. However, anyone of their techs (of a higher skill level, Terry knows what I'm talking about) will do you right.

Excellent advice and direction Keith and Terry! That's why I posted it here, right?? You guys know what is going on.

Arrowhead Honda sounds like the place to go. I am leaving for my backpacking trip Friday morning, so I won't be able to get it down there for a couple of weeks. If you remember the name of your go-to guy, please let me know. I will drop your name with your confidence in Arrowhead and schedule a ride with the Service Manager.

I think that this whole thing should work. Would love for the tech to listen to it and say, "The problem is the right ICBD mount in the hypomodule just below the main TVH cable."